1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an article of furniture, and, more particularly, to an article of furniture capable of being sat upon and/or reclined in by a user.
2. Description of the Related Art
Articles of furniture such as seats, chairs, recliners, couches and sofas are available for sitting upon and/or reclining in. Certain of these articles have at least one support surface that is provided with an extra mechanical support mechanism, commonly in the seat back for the lumbar region of the back of a user. Such an extra support mechanism typically is mechanically biased. Sometimes, a lever is provided for moving and thereby adjusting the position of the mechanical support mechanism to maximize the comfort of the user. That lever may require a significant effort to reach and adjust, especially with respect to a car seat.
What is needed in the art is an extra support mechanism associated with a support surface of an article of furniture that permits the extra support mechanism to be positioned and contoured for the comfort of a particular user and then easily held in that particular contour.
The present invention provides an air-regulated, cushioned unit for a support of an article of furniture which has multiple air bladders associated therewith, the air bladders being readily positioned and contoured for the comfort of a particular user and then easily held in that particular contour.
The invention comprises, in one form thereof, an article of furniture including a support having a support surface. A plurality of air bladders are mounted relative to the support surface, each air bladder having expandable foam therein. At least one fluid line fluidly couples the air bladders together. A single valve is fluidly coupled with the at least one fluid line. A contoured cushion is attached to the support surface. The at least one fluid line and the air bladders are mounted between the support surface and the contoured cushion.
An advantage of the present invention is the air bladder system of the present invention, by using hydrodynamics, permits an article of furniture to be contoured for the comfort of a particular user and then easily held in that particular contour even after that particular user vacates that article of furniture.
Another advantage is that the contour can be held in place or adjusted by working a single valve.
An additional advantage is that the foam in each air bladder is naturally biased toward its full size, and, consequently, the air bladders will automatically tend to expand to their full size upon opening of the system valve, thus requiring no pump to expand any bladder.
Yet another advantage is the air bladder system may either be made a permanent or a temporary part of a given article of furniture.
An even yet further advantage is that the use of a contoured cushion eliminates the need for a further support mechanism to hold the air bladders and the at least one fluid line in place relative to the support surface.